Number of prisoners released in Venezuela rises to 18, rights groups say
The number of prisoners freed in Venezuela has increased to 18, human rights organisations reported on Saturday, up from nine on Friday afternoon....
The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that a proposal remains on the table to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, but the opportunity for an agreement is "closing fast."
A State Department spokesperson said the plan would include the release of five live hostages, including American Edan Alexander, along with a "substantial number" of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
"The opportunity is still there, but it's closing fast," the spokesperson added, emphasizing Washington's support for Israel while calling the proposal "compelling."
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced the resumption of ground operations in Gaza, as a second day of airstrikes killed at least 48 Palestinians, according to local health officials cited by Reuters. A day earlier, more than 400 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes, marking one of the deadliest days since the war began in October 2023, Reuters reported.
The renewed fighting shattered nearly two months of relative calm following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.
The latest escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel's subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed over 49,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, and displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of the enclave. The humanitarian crisis has also sparked allegations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out ordering a mission to capture Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he is confident the war in Ukraine can be brought to an end.
New York City parents could soon have access to free childcare for two-year-old children following a joint announcement made by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday (8 January).
Türkiye has stepped back from mediating between Pakistan and Afghanistan after repeated efforts failed to narrow deep differences between Islamabad and Kabul.
Tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets in Tehran and across at least 28 cities in a wave of anti-government demonstrations, now entering their twelfth day.
Türkiye is reportedly in discussions to join the defence alliance between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, a strategic move that could reshape security dynamics in the Middle East and South Asia.
Iran’s security forces have intensified their crackdown on nationwide protests, with the elite Revolutionary Guards warning that safeguarding security is a “red line”, as unrest continued across the country.
Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian official and adviser to the supreme leader, has said recent protests amount to a security crisis directed from abroad, warning that the aim is to polarise society and weaken national unity at a moment of heightened confrontation.
Syrian government forces have moved into Aleppo’s Sheikh Maksoud district after a temporary ceasefire with Kurdish fighters collapsed, the army said on Saturday, following several days of deadly fighting.
The controversial closure of the criminal case concerning the tragic crash of AZAL flight 1, which was shot down by Russian air defence systems last year while approaching Grozny, has uncovered a crucial new detail, according to Minval Politika.
The foreign ministries of Armenia and Iran held political consultations in Yerevan, according to official statements.
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